We See Lies When we stop allowing ourselves to be blind to what’s true then we will see real progress.

The city of Tampa has a long history of racial profiling and harassing black men in general, but specifically when riding bikes.  The former police chief and current mayor of Tampa, Jane Castor, had a policy that was equivalent to New York’s stop-and-frisk policy but targeted black men on bikes in the Tampa Bay area for minor violations such as helmets and night lights.  This was not enforced in white neighborhoods with white citizens.  These infractions would result in ticketing, arrests and unnecessary stressful encounters with police that placed black men at risk of brutality and death.  So, it is not surprising to see that a non-black person would feel they have the authority to mistreat and violate the rights of black men in the same manner that local police have demonstrated is okay. Let’s not forget, Florida is also the home of the stand-your-ground laws that protected George Zimmerman in his violent pursuit and murder of Trayvon Martin.  That tragic incident sent the message that killing a black man in the name white racist so-called vigilantism is not just legal but rewarded by the justice system and society.  This arrest is what’s up.  We need to see that racist neighbors like this are being charged and exposed to finally send the message that black men in suburbs should not be treated like criminals in their own community. This type of arrest would not have happened before our reaction to George Floyd’s death.  This is what real progress looks like when we speak out and make sure we are heard.